- Edward G Acheson produced silicon carbide in 1891 while experimenting to create a hard material by passing an electric current through a mixture of clay and coke. He recognized its abrasive properties, patented it, and formed The Carborundum Company. - Silicon carbide is produced in furnaces and has properties of hardness, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and strength at high temperatures. It can be used to replace ferroalloys in iron and steel production. - Using silicon carbide provides benefits over ferroalloys like more efficient graphite formation, lower impurities, and reduced production costs.

3. SiC Production Process

5. SiC Furnace Recovery

6. Inside a SiC Furnace

13. Cost Benefit Analysis SiC vs FeSi FeSi + C cost analysis Assumptions Required % Carbon 3.3% FeSi 75% Silicon Required Silicon 2.5% 25% Fe Steel Scrap cost/kg R 3.50 Ferro silicon cost/kg R 13.50 Carbon cost/kg R 4.50 Steel scrap Silicon 0.3% Steel scrap Carbon 0.4% Based on melt of kg 1 000 Component Yield kg cost/kg Total cost Steel scrap 95% 1 053 R 3.50 R 3 684 Ferro Silicon 90% 33 R 13.50 R 440 Carbon 100% 29 R 4.50 R 131 Add (FeSi) Fe benefit 100% 8 R 3.50 R -29 R 4 226

14. Cost Benefit Analysis SiC vs FeSi SiC + C cost analysis SiC = (70% Si, 30% C) Assumptions SiC 85% Required % Carbon 3.3% Silicon 60% Required Silicon 2.5% Carbon 26% Steel Scrap cost/kg R 3.50 Free C 5% SiC cost/kg R 10.00 Carbon cost/kg R 4.50 Steel scrap Silicon 0.3% Steel scrap Carbon 0.4% Based on melt of kg 1 000 Component Yield kg cost/kg Total cost Steel scrap 95% 1 053 R 3.50 R 3 684 Silicon Carbide 90% 41 R 10.00 R 411 Carbon 100% 29 R 4.50 R 131 Add Free C benefit 100% 13 R 4.50 R -56 R 4 169

15. Presenter Geordie Osler CEO: Sublime Technologies BSc (Eng) Mech (Hon) : UCT B.Comm : UNISA Columbus Stainless Steel 1995 – 1997 Pyromet 1997- 2006 Sublime 2001 - present